A village about 24 miles west of Chicago, with Lake Ellyn, a walkable Main Street downtown and a Metra stop in the middle of it all.
01 — At a Glance
Glen Ellyn is a village about 24 miles west of downtown Chicago. The 2020 census counted 28,846 residents, and the village covers about 7.01 square miles. It was officially incorporated on May 10, 1892, a few years after Lake Glen Ellyn, today’s Lake Ellyn, was created. Union Pacific West trains stop right downtown at Main Street, and the College of DuPage campus is on the south side of the village.
Source: Wikipedia: Glen Ellyn, Illinois · Village of Glen Ellyn
02 — History
Glen Ellyn went through half a dozen names before it settled on the one it has today. Here are a few chapters behind the lake, the depot and the downtown you see now.
1833
Brothers Morgan and Ralph Babcock, from the Finger Lakes region of New York, staked a claim here in 1833. The settlement became known as Babcock’s Grove, and it took in land that’s now part of both Glen Ellyn and Lombard.
Source: Glen Ellyn Historical Society: Major Glen Ellyn Events · Wikipedia: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
1846
Moses Stacy, a War of 1812 veteran, built an inn at the five corners as a halfway stop between Chicago and the Fox River Valley. Stacy’s Tavern still stands at Geneva Road and Main Street as a museum.
Source: Glen Ellyn Historical Society: Stacy’s Tavern Museum · Wikipedia: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
1849
When the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad came through, landowner Lewey Q. Newton offered land and built a depot so trains would stop. The community shifted toward the station, and the tracks still run through downtown.
Source: Wikipedia: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
1889
By 1889 the village had taken the name Glen Ellyn, after village president Thomas E. Hill’s wife Ellen. Hill and Philo Stacy dammed a nearby stream that year to create Lake Glen Ellyn, today’s Lake Ellyn.
Source: Wikipedia: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
1892
Mineral springs were found nearby in 1890, and Glen Ellyn promoted itself as a suburb and health resort. The village was officially incorporated on May 10, 1892, and the Lake Glen Ellyn Hotel opened the same year.
Source: Wikipedia: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
1919
The Glen Ellyn Park District was established on November 3, 1919. Today it maintains 29 parks, plus Sunset Pool, Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center and the Lake Ellyn Boathouse.
The Babcock brothers’ 1833 claim gave the settlement its first name, Babcock’s Grove. It was renamed Fish’s Corners for Daniel Fish, who had a cabin nearby, and later Stacy’s Corners after Moses Stacy opened his tavern at the five corners in 1846.
Lewey Q. Newton offered the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad a right-of-way, a depot and a water tank if trains would stop here. Newton Station became the new center of town, and the community went by DuPage Center, Newton’s Station, Danby and Prospect Park before settling on Glen Ellyn.
Village president Thomas E. Hill and businessman Philo Stacy created Lake Glen Ellyn in 1889. Mineral springs turned up in 1890, the village incorporated in 1892, and the grand Lake Glen Ellyn Hotel opened that year.
The park district followed in 1919, and the first Glenbard high school opened in 1922. Today the College of DuPage, the Illinois Prairie Path and the Main Street Metra stop are all part of everyday life in Glen Ellyn.
Source: Glen Ellyn Historical Society: Major Glen Ellyn Events · Glen Ellyn Historical Society: Stacy’s Tavern Museum · Wikipedia: Glen Ellyn, Illinois · Glen Ellyn Park District: Overview
03 — Shopping & Dining
Downtown Glen Ellyn is packed with locally owned shops and restaurants along Main Street, Crescent Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue, right across from the Metra station.
Neighborhood steakhouse
Glen Ellyn’s neighborhood steakhouse on Main Street, great for date nights and family get-togethers, with weekend brunch.
400 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteAmerican bistro & craft cocktails
An American bistro with craft cocktails in the middle of downtown, open for lunch and dinner every day.
430 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteWood-fired pizza & pasta
Wood-fired pizzas and fresh pasta on Main Street, with weekend lunch hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
433 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteIndian–French fusion
Indian–French fusion cooking with tableside flambé, plus catering for parties and events.
462 N. Park Blvd., Unit 120, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteItalian-American & Mediterranean
Italian-American classics and Mediterranean-inspired dishes on rotating menus, plus private events and catering.
476 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteBrewery taproom & cocktail bar
Maplewood Brewery & Distillery’s Glen Ellyn public house, a neighborhood bar, cocktail bar and taproom with lunch and dinner menus.
486 Pennsylvania Ave., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteIndependent bookstore since 1960
Glen Ellyn’s proudly independent neighborhood bookstore, with a wide range of books for every reader since 1960.
475 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteFine jewelry & timepieces
Engagement rings, diamonds and timepieces from a local jeweler built on service, value and integrity since 1979.
474 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteHandmade jewelry & found objects
Handmade jewelry, candles, gifts and “found” vintage furniture and objects on Main Street.
492 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteWomen’s clothing & accessories
Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories for every occasion, curated with a personal touch.
476 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteHouseplants, rugs & vintage
Houseplants, rugs, vintage goods and home décor from two Glen Ellyn neighbors who opened their shop in 2020.
492 Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit WebsiteOlive oils, balsamics & gifts
More than 60 tasting stations of world-class olive oils and Modena balsamics, plus gifts, pantry goods and in-store tastings every Saturday.
449 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Visit Website04 — Education
Most of Glen Ellyn attends Glen Ellyn School District 41 or Community Consolidated School District 89 for the early grades, then Glenbard Township High School District 87. Check the district for any specific address.
Boundaries follow the address. Confirm school assignment for each address with the district before you buy.
Search HomesPublic · PreK–8
The elementary and middle school district serving much of the village.
Public · PreK–8
Community Consolidated School District 89 serves parts of Glen Ellyn along with neighboring communities.
Public · Grades 9–12
The high school district headquartered on Crescent Boulevard in Glen Ellyn, including Glenbard West and Glenbard South.
Public · Grades 9–12
The district’s original high school, opened in 1922 on Crescent Boulevard, just west of downtown.
Higher Education
Founded in 1967, the community college’s main campus is in Glen Ellyn, home to the McAninch Arts Center.
Library
The village library on Duane Street, with story times, a maker workshop and programs for every age.
05 — Lifestyle
Life here centers on Lake Ellyn, the parks and a downtown that fills up for summer festivals. Here’s where people spend their time, from the Prairie Path to the theatre and the trains into Chicago.
The village’s namesake lake, with the park district’s Boathouse on the shore, a spacious deck and views of the water and wildlife.
Park DetailsThe rail trail built on the old Chicago Aurora and Elgin right-of-way runs right through Glen Ellyn, connecting it to neighboring towns.
Trail DetailsThe park district’s summer pool on Fairview Avenue, with zero-depth entry, lap lanes, diving boards, slides and a children’s wading pool.
Pool DetailsAn Independence Day parade through downtown and fireworks over Lake Ellyn, organized by a volunteer-led community foundation.
Event DetailsA free fall festival at Lake Ellyn Park, with family activities, local organizations and draft beer benefiting the Glen Ellyn Parks Foundation.
Event DetailsHandmade treasures from local artisans at the park district’s fall craft fair, perfect for holiday gifts.
Event DetailsYouth baseball, basketball leagues and house soccer, plus tot sports classes for ages 2 to preschool.
Program DetailsThe park district’s sports center at Ackerman Park, with open courts and turf, gymnastics and tot sports classes.
Facility DetailsLittle Lakers classes are taught by the same Future Pros trainers who coach the Lakers travel teams, with classes at Ackerman.
Program DetailsThe MAC at College of DuPage presents professional theatre, dance and concerts all year.
Arts CenterA free day of jazz and blues on Main Street, with a brass-band second line kickoff and downtown restaurants serving all day.
Festival DetailsYouth theatre productions where kids learn songs and dance routines, build props and see a show come together from start to finish.
Program DetailsUnion Pacific West trains stop downtown at 551 Crescent Boulevard at Main Street, in fare zone 4, with a Pace connection on Route 715.
Station DetailsThe line runs between Ogilvie Transportation Center in the Loop and Elburn, with stops in Oak Park and other western suburbs along the way.
Line & SchedulesRoosevelt Road connects Glen Ellyn to I-355 on the east side, and Pace buses link the village to nearby towns and the College of DuPage.
Roads OverviewPrivate Client Representation